


Just Like That

by masterwords



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alcohol, BAU date night, Fluff and Humor, Injury, M/M, Mob Movies, Reminiscing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:34:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27742327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masterwords/pseuds/masterwords
Summary: After finishing a case in Oregon, Aaron and Dave settle into their hotel room for dinner and drinks.   (Set in the aftermath of S7e19 - "Heathridge Manor", one of the most underrated and excellent episodes CM has to offer.)
Relationships: Aaron Hotchner/David Rossi
Comments: 3
Kudos: 54





	Just Like That

**Author's Note:**

> A cute little drabble to offset the sheer level of angst I've been pumping out lately. Thank you all for reading, I hope you enjoy!

The pizza was steaming in its box at the foot of the bed when Aaron stepped out of the bathroom after a long, hot shower. Near the bed, Dave was preparing two glasses of scotch, heavy pours. The case they'd just finished had been particularly rough, and though the rest of the team had decided to go and spend the night out on the town, Dave and Aaron just wanted to stay in and relax. This was their ritual, especially after cases that ended with Aaron putting himself in mortal danger – Dave's protective streak flared up and he wouldn't let Aaron out of his sight now for at least a full day if he could help it. Pennance for Aaron's heroism. 

“Are we going to talk about what you did?” Dave asked, standing up and handing the glass of scotch to his partner, taking in the intoxicating caramel and oak smell before bringing it to his lips and letting it linger there. 

“Nope,” Aaron replied with a sly grin, sipping the amber liquid himself. Dave nodded, his free hand flicking out to find the new bruises as if keeping score. One (Aaron's cheek), two (his shoulder), three (his elbow), four (his leg, swollen and angry, that one would count for double)...James Heathridge was lucky he'd fallen down that well, Dave thought bitterly. Aaron limped over to the bed, the soreness in his leg becoming more pronounced as he stood. He always felt like Superman on the job, adrenaline coursing through his veins – he'd bested a man half his age in hand to hand combat tonight and had felt great...until now, when he realized he was a mere mortal. Humanity was painful. 

“He got you good,” Dave noted, grabbing the ice-pack he'd stashed in the freezer earlier, knowing they would need it. With Aaron Hotchner, he always needed one, it was a miracle if they didn't use one after a day on the job. 

“Nah,” Aaron lied with a grin, painfully stretching himself out on the bed beside the pizza box, rubbing at the angry, raised bruise just below his knee. Dave set the ice pack on his partner's leg and crossed to his side of the bed, kicking his feet up. 

“You're lucky he had a pipe and not a gun.”

“Fireplace poker,” Aaron corrected, leaning forward now to grab a slice of pizza. He hazarded a sideways glance at Dave for a moment, watching him regard this new piece of information, and took a big bite. The sauce and cheese burned his mouth, but he took another bite and another like he was starving. 

“So he could have stabbed you?”

“But he didn't,” Aaron offered with a shrug. “He hit me in the leg while I was coming down the stairs and I fell. Don't think he expected me to get up so fast.”

“If I'd been there...” Dave muttered under his breath, taking another sip of his scotch. Half his glass had already disappeared. 

“Better me than you,” Aaron replied, reaching for his second piece of pizza. He hadn't realized how hungry he was. Dave regarded Aaron's statement with frustration – that was his way, always putting himself in harm's way before anyone else even had a chance. He'd sent Emily up to save the girl, and he'd gone after the killer by himself because if he could be the one to be in danger, no one else would be. 

“That's a matter of opinion.”

Silence fell over the room for a moment while they both came to terms with the day they'd had. In the end, they'd both just have to let it go. Aaron adjusted the ice-pack on his leg and rolled his ankle a few times, stretching out his sore, shocked muscles. He'd be feeling this one for a few days. Dave picked up the remote and began flipping through channels until finding something that caught his attention – A Bronx Tale. He leaned back against the headboard happily, eager to forget his day and the tabs on his scorecard, to immerse himself in something familiar and simple. 

“What movie is this?” Aaron asked, breaking the silence. He took a sip of his drink to wash down the last bite of pizza, peering over at Dave whose face now bore the shock of someone who couldn't believe what they were hearing. 

“What _movie_ is this?” Dave was incredulous. Aaron just shrugged, his face the epitome of innocence. “This movie is a classic. DeNiro and Palminteri are kings! You've really never seen it?”

“I still don't even know what it is...” Aaron muttered. His voice was low and cheeky now, he loved to poke at Dave who just rolled his eyes and sighed, the sound of the forever suffering. 

“Well in that case, maybe we should watch Power Rangers or Ninja Turtles instead? This one might be a little over your head.”

“Wait, are they on? If you flipped past Ninja Turtles without saying a word...”

“Unbelievable,” Dave muttered under his breath, pouring himself another couple fingers of scotch. He was going to need it. “A Bronx Tale, that's what this movie is called. It's a classic. You'll love it. It's about this kid growing up in Hells Kitchen in the 60s, gets picked up by this big time gangster named Sonny and learns the ropes, but his dad hates it. It's like a battle for this kid's soul. It's based on a true story.”

The movie progressed, slowly, and though he tried, Aaron really wasn't that into the movie but he did love listening to Dave explain all of the intricacies to him – the little details that someone would only know if they'd lived a life similar to what they were watching. These were the little glimpses that Aaron got into his partner's old life, the one he rarely talked about with any sort of real connection to it. He'd mention things in passing, like they were normal, like everyone had grown up the same, and Aaron locked them away tight in his vault. Sometimes the things he said were scary, the way he talked so nonchalantly about things that most people just didn't do, but like the darkness in Aaron's past had forged him, so Dave's had as well. 

“So wait,” Aaron began, but Dave shushed him for a moment to watch as the kid on screen learned a lesson about chivalry and car doors. When the scene was over, Dave just sighed and shook his head. 

“Nobody learns that kind of thing anymore...” he mused, his eyes locked on the screen. Aaron smiled wistfully and decided to keep his sarcastic comment to himself, to give the movie a fighting chance. 

“I'll pass that on to Jack. He'll learn it.” 

Dave looked over at Aaron and grinned, his dark eyes twinkling. “Good. Good! It's important. He needs to open her door for her, open it and let her into the car but don't let him take any crap...she doesn't reach over and unlock his for him, nahhh. It's a two way street. Good lesson. Solid lesson.” 

“Solid,” Aaron repeated, shoving his empty glass into Dave's chest expectantly. Dave poured them each another, him one ahead of his partner and it was beginning to show. 

“You give this movie a chance, I'll watch Ninja Turtles with you next time...” 

Aaron smiled softly, sipping his drink. “Two way street, huh? Deal.”

“Two way street...” Dave muttered, lost in the movie almost entirely now. Aaron adjusted his ice-pack and leaned back, settling into the nest of pillows on the bed, sore and happy. He may have wished he was watching Casey Jones and Raphael kicking some Foot Soldier butt right now, releasing the heaviness of the day with some laughs, but this was good too. He reached over and grabbed Dave's hand, pulling it up to his mouth and kissing the other man's knuckles softly. 

“I love you,” Aaron whispered, and Dave smiled, nodding in agreement, squeezing Aaron's hand lightly, reveling in the simple touch of their hands. 

“I love you too," Dave replied softly. "But next time you go into the basement of a serial killer's house without backup, it'll be me who is busting up your knees. Capiche?”

Aaron laughed and shook his head, he'd known Dave would find a way to get one last dig in at him for what he'd done earlier. “Capiche.”


End file.
